New figures released by Innis & Gunn reveal that the independent craft brewer increased its group turnover from £11.8m to £14.3m last year, a 22% leap.
It’s just one of a set of eye-catching statistics for the Edinburgh-based organisation, with annual gross profit climbing from £6.8m to £8.5m (a 25% rise) and sales volume passing 2.2 million cases for the first time.
2016 was also the year Innis & Gunn opened its second and third Beer Kitchen outlets in Dundee and St Andrews respectively, and a fourth – the largest to date – has since started trading in Glasgow hot spot Ashton Lane. Elsewhere, the Inveralmond Brewery in Perth – and its portfolio of award-winning beers – was purchased and turned into The Innis & Gunn Brewery, and continued gains were made abroad. 600,000 bottles of Innis & Gunn were sold in the first year of the new venture with SIP Drinks in France and Canada continues to be fertile territory, accounting for a fifth of the business’ total volume.
Said Dougal Gunn Sharp, company founder and master brewer, “On every dimension, our business grew during the year. Even more importantly we laid the foundations from which we plan to double the size of our business over the next three years, through our ‘Beers, Bars and Brewers’ strategy.”
Gunn Sharp and co’s ambitious targets for the future include trebling their beer production over the next 12 months and hitting £25m turnover by 2018.
Added Tony Hunt, Chairman of the Board, “2016 was an outstanding year for Innis & Gunn and the start of a planned transformation of our business. Around the world, the opportunity is huge as increasing numbers of consumers develop a taste for authentic craft beer, and thanks to Dougal Gunn Sharp and our highly talented brewing team Innis & Gunn is ideally placed to benefit from that trend.”
Inveralmond has launched a new beer and unveiled a new look for the brand as it celebrates its 20th anniversary of brewing beer.
The Perth-based beer brand has added EPA, an Edinburgh Pale Ale, to its portfolio and has also relaunched bestsellers Ossian and Lia Fail.
Anew ruby ale brewed with Amber malts and roast barley, Daracha, will launch and complete Inveralmond’s new core range.
The brewery is undergoing a £750,000 refit and expansion to accommodate brewing of both Inveralmond and Innis & Gunn beers, creating 150% more capacity at the Perth site, and a tripling of capacity by 2018. It includes a barrel ageing hall, additional fermentation and processing vessels and new filtration technology.
The redesign of the new beers are inspired by vintage railway posters, with artwork for the beer labels and pump clips specially commissioned by Inveralmond from Isle of Skye based artist Peter McDermott. Inveralmond founder and chief executive Fergus Clark says, “We’re excited about our brand revamp and the new beers we’re working on. It’s fitting that the first launch to roll out of our new-look brewery, and the first new Inveralmond branded beer in a while, is an EPA. Edinburgh Pale Ale paved the way for British beer around the world, and we see the Inveralmond brand as having paved the way in the craft beer movement in Scotland and beyond.”
Barney’s Beer, brewed by Summerhall based Edinburgh brewer of the same name, will now be distributed by Inveralmond, Innis & Gunn. The brewery’s regular beers from IPA to Rye beers will be available on tap across the Scottish capital and further afield under the new agreement. Innis & Gunn bought out The Inveralmond Brewery last month, and with plans for expansion and new development Barney’s Beer, decided to make the most of the extended distribution offering. Barney said, “This is an exciting step for us. Our beer is available at some of the best restaurants and pubs across the city, and we’re looking forward to working with Innis and Gunn to see where we can take our beer next.”
Inveralmond Brewery has been shortlisted for the second year running for this year’s Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Business Star Awards 2015. After winning the Excellence in Food & Drink Produce Award 2014, the team now hope to beat off tough competition from other local food and drink producers to retain their title.
The Perth-based brewers pride themselves on brewing ‘Beautiful beer from the heart of Scotland’. Since opening for business in 1997, Inveralmond Brewery has grown its popular beer range and their recent success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has seen them reach an even wider audience.
This latest accolade comes after a year of triumph’s for one of Scotland’s leading independent craft-beer brewers, who seen their Inspiration Series ‘Rascal’ beer scoop Champion Beer at the World’s Biggest Ale Festival, run by JD Wetherspoons – before it had even been officially launched by the Brewery!
Bob Hogg, Commercial Director of Inveralmond Brewery, commented, “We’re delighted to have been shortlisted for this award for the second year running after our success last year and are pleased our continued creativity, hard work and dedication has once again been recognised by the Chamber. We look forward to finding out if we’ve managed to retain our title at the awards next month!”
The Business Star Awards recognise the very best of local companies in Perthshire in what has been an outstanding year for businesses of all sizes in the area. The winners of this year’s awards will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony taking place on 20th November at Crieff Hydro.
Eight independent brewers – Cairngorm Brewery, Fyne Ales, Harviestoun, Innis & Gunn, Inveralmond Brewery, Stewart Brewing, WEST and Williams Bros have joined forces to create The Brewers’ Association of Scotland (TBAS), to support, promote and safeguard the future of the industry.
TBAS Chairman Dougal Sharp, CEO of Innis & Gunn said, “The Scottish beer industry is thriving and opportunities abound within Scotland and Internationally.
“It is important to our sector, now more than ever, that we have an effective industry body to help us to achieve our individual business aspirations. Until now the industry has had no governing body in Scotland, whereas in other countries where there are similar associations the benefits of such a body are clear. More choice, greater levels of consumer awareness and understanding, high quality, higher growth and levels of business, all underpinned by targeted support from local governmental agencies.”
TBAS aims to deliver a group identity and quality standard for craft brewers across Scotland: artisanal brewers that are predominately Scottish owned and brew less than 200,000 hectolitres per annum in Scotland or within their group of companies. The key objectives of the Association are founded on seven fundamental principles: quality, promotion, market development, representation, accreditation, innovation and common interest grouping.
It is estimated there are now between 80-90 independent breweries in Scotland. The TBAS founder breweries employ 246 staff in Scotland between them with a combined turnover (latest accounts) of over £30m. The project is being facilitated by the Market Driven Supply Chain Project – jointly funded by the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise, and delivered by SAOS, with additional support from The Community Food Fund.
Commenting on the initiative, Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment, said, “Craft beer is becoming increasingly popular both at home and abroad and it is great to see Scottish artisan beer in such high demand.”
He continued, “It is important that – as the sector expands – those working in this business understand how they can capitalize through collaboration, to make the step changes to create strong, diverse businesses with national and global ambitions. I believe TBAS can make a strong contribution in this regard and I wish them every success. I’m delighted to be speaking to the founders at the Scottish Parliament tonight, during Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink, and look forward to seeing the outcome of their consultation.”
Inveralmond Brewery has released the latest beer in its award-winning series of brews called “The Inspiration Series”. Sunburst, a Czech pilsner-inspired brew, was launched in early 2014 as part of the series, and now with a professional nod to the brewers and classic beers of Belgium, #2 in the series has been launched and is called De Mons.
Other beers in the series are yet to be revealed, but both Sunburst and the new De Mons mark a notable change in branding for Inveralmond Brewery with the use of punchy colours and dramatic designs to enhance the beers’ shelf presence.
Bob Hogg, the company’s commercial director, comments, “After the success of Inspiration #1, Sunburst, it has proved that the passion and creativity that is being poured into this series of brews is already paying off.”
Curious about which craft beers to stock? Why not pay a visit to one of the summer’s beer festivals. First up there’s one in Inverness which goes under the name ‘North Hop’. This two-day festival takes place at the city’s Eden Court on 29 and 30 August, and will include top names from the craft beer industry, drinks companies and food producers.
The 10 confirmed breweries attending the event to showcase their Scottish produce include, Windswept Brewing Co, BrewDog, Cromarty Brewing Co, Six Degrees North, Eden Brewery, Inveralmond Brewery, Loch Ness Brewery, Thistly Cross Cider, William Bros Brewing Co and Fallen Brewing Co. North Hop is the first large-scale craft beer festival to be held in Inverness and aims to raise awareness of the craft beer industry in Scotland. The event will showcase a wide range of food and drink produce from across the country and will also feature ciders, cocktails, artisan gins, street food, and a number of independent musicians.
The following month, ‘Craft Beer Rising’ will take place at Drygate in Glasgow. The organisers say it will be the “biggest collaborative craft beer festival” in the country. Hosted in collaboration with Drygate Brewing Co – the UK’s first experiential craft brewery – Craft Beer Rising will take place in Glasgow from the Friday 19th – Sunday 21st of September 2014. Taking place across four sessions, you will be able to sample up to 200 beers from 45 local and international breweries, including Tempest Brew Co, Siren, Beavertown, Thistly Cross Cider, Pilot Brew Co and Harbour. (although preferably not all at the one session!)
In addition to the festival’s beer and street food offering, a programme of talks and demonstrations – such as live brewing from a collective of breweries – is also planned.
Andy Agnew, has been appointed to the board of Inveralmond Brewery, the independent brewer of craft beers based in Perth. The former Scottish & Newcastle and Heineken executive brings with him over 40 years’ experience in the brewing industry and signals a change of pace for the 17 year old brewery.
Since the introduction of the Progressive Beer Duty, which gave tax breaks to brewers below a certain size, there has been an exponential growth in small brewers across the UK. Now there are more than 1000, higher than at any time since the 1940s, and around 80 more are expected to start up this year. Add to that a desire to eat local, seek out quality natural ingredients, and it’s never been a better time to be an independent brewer.
Fergus Clark, Managing Director of Inveralmond Brewery, commented, “We are delighted to welcome Andy to our board. He brings a wealth of experience into an organisation where we are fully committed to growth and development of our range of quality craft beers. His strategic knowledge and creativity will strengthen the business as we move forward in this developing market. ’
Employing 18 people, Inveralmond Brewery’s turnover hit £1.5m last year. Chairman of Inveralmond Brewery, Erik Ostman, stated, “We have extended our board to give us a balance of skills and experience that will enable us to drive sustainable and profitable growth for the business. The market is changing quickly, creating opportunities daily and we feel well-placed as an established producer of craft beers to take advantage of any opportunities ahead of us.”